Electric hand lantern



sept. 9, 1941u 5. H. LARSON 2,255,291

ELECTRIC HAND LANTERN Filed sept. 21, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet i Q Ill!! Mmmmlm` @11111111 Sept. 9, 1941. c. H. LARsoN ELECTRIC HAND LANTERN Filedsept. 21, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 9, 1941 2,255,291ELECTEIC'HAND LANTERN Carl H. Larson, Elkhart,

Adlake Company, a corporation of Illinois 1nd., assigner to TheApplication september 21,1938, serial No. 231,037

7 Claims.

by railway trainmen and switchmen requires a lantern that will light upcar numbers and such like to make them clearly visible for quickreading, and that is best accomplished with a lamp I lector. Such alamp, however, is not clearly visible for signals to the side of thereector. For` instance, an engine man in a locomotive Cab would get nodirect rays from a bottom reflector lantern carried by the bail in thenormal way by a switchman standing on the ground.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide a wellfocused lamp for general illumination and a well exposed lamp to throwdirect rays for signals.

Another object of the invention is to simplify and improve the switchmechanism for controlling the lamps.

Further objects and advantages of the inven-v tion will be revealed asthe description is read lin connection with the accompanying drawingsillustrating selected embodiments of the invention, and in which Fig. lis a side elevation of a lantern;

Much work done Fig. 2 is a plan section taken on the lirie 2-2 of Fig.1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical sections taken on 4-4, respectively, of Fig.2, the of the lantern being broken the lines 3-3 and upper and lowerparts away; i

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the preferred form of switch;

Fig. 6 is a plan section similar to Fig. 2, showing a modified formswitch in open circuit position;

Fig. 1 is a view similar to Fig. switch in solid lines in nal lamp andin dotted lines in closed circuit on the other lamp;

6 showing the Figs. 8 and 9 are vertical sections on the lines:

8--8 and 9--9, respectively, of Fig. 6 the upper and lower parts of thelantern being broken away;

Fig. 10 is a view lantern; and v Fig. ll is a perspective view of amodified form of switch suited to the construction shown in Figs. 6 tol0.

These particular forms, however, are shownA for the purpose ofdisclosure only. and are not intended to impose unnecessary limitations-on the claims.

Generally speaking the lantern includes a casing I0 equipped with ahaving a hinged bail |2 secured to looking at the bottom of the it bybolts I3.v

well focused in a good reof construction with theclosed circuit on thesigby a ring of non-conducting material 32.

(Cl. 2ML-10.63)

The base of the lantern is formed by a guard ring I4 and four vlegs I5having their upper ends secured to the casing.

As will be seen best from Figs. l, 3 and 4, the casing in this instanceis a drawn cylinder with beads I6 and an integral bottom I1.

A sleeve I8 telescopes over the lower portion of the casing and hasaninturned flange I9. Secured to this ange is a false bottom, generallyindicated by the letter A, which bott-om has two reflecting surfaces 20and 2| spaced equally from the center and surrounded by a cylindricalwall 22 having a nange 23 resting on top of the iiange I9. Bolts 24passing through the flanges I9 and 23 and threaded into struckup sockets25 in the bottom I1 secure the sleeve and the false bottom to thecasing. i

The reflector 2| is equipped with a concentric lamp socket 26 insulatedfrom the metal of the false bottom by non-conducting rings 21 and 28 andmade fast by crimping the edge 29 of the 'central opening against theside of the ring 28. This socket 2li receives a lamp bulb 30 and holdsits iilament 3| at the focus of the reiiector 2|.

The upper end -of the lamp socket-is protected The reflector 2 0 is inlike manner equipped with a relatively long lamp socket 33 to hold asimilar lamp 34 with its filament 35 well below the other lamp and thereflector in order to make its rays clearly visible for signalingpurposes. The lamp socket 33 is provided with rings 36, 31, ofinsulating material which loosely receive a metallic contact rivet 38.

The bottom or head I1 of the battery casing has a lcentral opening 33for a rivet 49 that passes through a metallic disc 4|, an insulatingdisc 42 removable cover and a'bove the bottom, an insulating strip 43and a metallic contact plate 44 below the bottom. The opening 3B islarge enough to keep the rivet out of contact with the metal of thecasing. Y

The contact plate 44- closes with the center contact of the lamp bulb 3Gand with the contact rivet 38, which in turn closes with the 'centerContact of the lamp 34. In order to insure that the strip 44 will beassembled and will remain in proper position, lugs 45, Fig. 3, arestruck up from the bottom I1 to center the insulating disc 42. Lugs 46,Fig. 4, are struck down from the bottom to locate the insulating strip43 and lugs 41 are struck up from the contact strip 44 into depressions43 in the insulating strip 43. Then the rivet 40 is inserted and set up.

The battery 43 has a side contact 50 to engage the bottom I1 of thecasing and a 'center contact 5I to engage the rivet 40. 'Ihus the casingof the lantern is in electrical contact with one side of the battery andis normally insulated from the side contacts of the lamps while thecenter contact of each of the lamps is electrically connected with thecenter contact of the battery.

The circuits through the lamps are controlled by a switch best shown inFig. 5 and which includes a slide 52 to t the inside of the sleeve I8'and cover a slot 53 therein. .At its ends, the slide is provided withcontact arms 54 and 55 each crimped at its free end to form roundedcontacts 56 and 51.

The slide is controlled by a knob or handle 58 having a reduced portion59 entering the slot 53 and a further reduced portion 68 passing throughthe slide and riveted at BI The slide is also provided with spaced stopsin the form of protuberances 62 which rest against the ends of the slotor recess 53 in open circuit position and one of which bears against theinside of the sleeve I8 as the switch moves toward closed circuitposition. The switch member is made of resilient material, such asphosphor bronze.

'I'he normal open circuit position of the switch is shown in Fig. 2.When it is desired to light the lower lamp 34, the knob is pushed to thedotted line position, thus bringing the contact 56 into contact with therim of the lamp socket 33. When the lamp 30 is to be lit, the knob ispushed to a corresponding position in the opposite direction.

The contacts 56 and 51 make a wiping engagement with the lamp sockets asthey move into closed position which insures clean surfaces andtherefore good electrical connection.

The sleeve I8 is provided with four bosses B4 open at the bottom toreceive the upper ends of the legs I 5 which are then secured by spotwelding as indicated at 65.

As the switch is moved from normal open circuit position one of thestops 62 rides out of the slot 53, bending the slide which then forcesthe stop into frictional engagement with the inner wall of the sleeveI8. The pressure of this engagement is increased as the arm 54 or 55 isforced against the ycorresponding lamp socket and bent toward the slideand is suflicient to hold the switch in closed position, but to makesure of that, even when the lantern is struck against the car as thetrainman mounts the ladder, the stops 62 are so placed that one of themdrops into the corresponding boss 64 at the end of the switch closingmovement and thus functions as a latch for the switch.

By removing the screws 24, the base and the sleeve I8 with the reflectorand lamp assemblies can be removed for inspection or repair.

In the form shown in sheet 2, the false bottom A is replaced by asimilar false bottom B having one large stepped reflector 66 and agenerally lat seat El. The reector 66 is concentric with the casing andis tte-d with a central lamp socket 68 similar to the socket 26 toreceive a lamp 69 and hold its filament focused with respect to thereflector 68. The seat 6'I is tted with a lamp socket 'I8 similar to thelamp socket 33 to receive a signal lamp II andv hold it in position tobe clearly visible for signals. The switch 'I2 is similar to the switch52 but has a short arm I3 for closing the circuit with the lamp socketI8 and a long arm 'I4 for closing the circuit with the lamp socket 68 bycontact with a flange 'I5 on a metallic disc 'IB surrounding and inelectrical connection with the-lamp socket 68 The ange I5 is madenecessary by the fact that the lamp socket 68 is concentric with thecasing and therefore with the motion of the switch.

This form of construction provides a large rellecting surface for thelamp used for reading car number and such like, and therefore providesbetter illumination than the smaller reiiecting' surface used in the rstform, but it is a little more costly to make.

Many lanterns having reflectors like that shown on sheet I are in commonuse and they can be given a proper signal lamp utility by replacing oneof the short lamp sockets with a long lamp socket 33. The knob 58 of theswitch is here shown at right angles to the plane of the bail I2, whichis the preferred arrangement, but it might just as well be insubstantially the same plane as the bail I2.

Just how far the signal lamp 34 should be below the head' of the lanternwill vary somewhat with circumstances, but it has been found that withthe sleeve I8 approximately 3% in diameter, a long lamp socket 33, 3A"in length gives satisfactory results.

I claim: n

1. In an electric lantern having an electric circuit, a casing having acurved wall forming part of the circuit and provided with acircumferential slot, a pair of lamp sockets insulated and spaced fromthe curved wall and spaced from each other, a resilient sector-shaped'switch including an arcuate member slidably mounted on the casing toclose the slot on the inside and two converging circuit-closing armsintegral with said arcuate member at the opposite ends thereof `andspaced from the sockets in open circuit position, and an external handlefor sai-d arcuate member extending through the slot and movable in onedirection to bring one of said switch arms into engagement with one ofsaid sockets and in the opposite direction to bring the other of saidarms into engagement with the other socket.

2. In an electric lantern, a battery casing, a bottom for the casing, apair of lamp sockets mounted on said bottom, a reflector cooperatingwith one of said sockets whereby a lamp mounted in said socket will besubstantially at the focal point of said reflector, said other socketextending below the first and below the margins of said reector andlaterally of the principal axis of said reflector so as to beout offocus therewith, switch means for selectively energizing lamps mountedin said sockets from a battery in the casing, and a bail mounted on thecasing and adapted to extend above the top thereof for swinging thelantern for signal purposes with the second lamp illuminated, wherebythe lantern may be swung for signalling without interruption of lightfrom said second-lamp by said re- Elector.

3. In an electric lantern, a metallic casing adapted to contain a'battery and be electrically engaged with one terminal thereof and havinga slot perforating its outer wall and having an outwardly projectingrecess formed in and open to the inner side of said outer wall beyond anend of the slot, a pair of lamps mounted on the casing, a contact in thecasing insulated therefrom and adapted to be engaged by the otherterminal of the battery, means electrically connecting the centercontact of each lamp with said contact, separate conductors electricallyconnected to the rim contacts of the lamps. and having'contact portionsspaced apart, a switch handle penetrating the slot in the casing andmovable along the slot, a one-piece movable switch element inside thecasing having a portion disposed adjacent to the slot and mounting thehandle so as to be movable along the slot with the handle and havingintegral terminal contact means provided with spaced contact surfacesmovable alternatively into electrical engagement with one or the otherof said contact portions and into an intermediate open-circuit positionspaced from both contact portions, and means for yieldably retaining theswitch element in a selected position along its range of movementcomprising an outwardly extending protuberance on the first namedportion of the 'switch element adapted to move in frictional engagementwith the inner side of the casing and be received in said recess.

4. In an electric lantern, a casing adapted to contain a battery and beelectrically engaged with one terminal thereof, a pair of lamps mountedon the casing, a contact in the casing insulated therefrom and adaptedto be engaged by the other terminal of the battery, means connecting thecenter contact of each lamp with said contact, a separate conductorconnected to the rim contact of each lamp, switch means penetrating aslot in the casing and grounded thereon comprising a peripheral portioncovering the slot and mounted on the casing so as to be movable alongthe slot selectively into electrical engagement with said conductors,and means for yieldably latching the switch means out of engagement withboth conductors comprising a protuberance on said peripheral portioncooperating with said slot so as to be within the slot when the circuitto a lamp is open and adapted to be forced out of the slot and intoengagement with the casing when the switch means is moved to close thecircuit to said lamp.

5. In an electric lantern, a casing adapted to contain a battery and beelectrically engaged with one terminal thereof, a pair of lamps mountedon the casing, a contact in the casing insulated therefrom and adaptedto be engaged by the other terminal of the battery, means connectingsaid contact with the center contact of each lamp, a switch elementpenetrating a slot in the casing and grounded thereon comprising aperipheral portion covering the slot and mounted on the casing so as tobe movable along the slot and having inwardly extending integralterminal arm means movable with the peripheral portion to opposite sidesof a central open circuit position so as to make selective electricalconnection with the rim contacts of said lamps, and means for yieldablylatching the switch element in open circuit position comprisingprojecting means formed on said peripheral portion o the switch elementand yieldably positioned in said slot when the switch element is in itscentral position and adapted to be forced out of the slot andfrictionally engage the wall of the casing at a side of the slot as theswitch element is moved from its central position to close the circuitto either of said lamps,

6. In an electric lantern, a casing adapted to contain a battery and beelectrically vengaged with one terminal thereof, a pair of lamps mountedon an end wall of the casing, a plurality of legs mounted in recesses inthe casing and cooperating to form a guard for the lamps, a contact inthe casing insulated therefrom and adapted to be engaged by the otherterminal of the battery, means connecting said contact with the centercontact of each lamp, a separate conductor connected to the rim contactof each lamp, a switch element penetrating a slot in the' casing,grounded thereon, and comprising a peripheral portion covering the slotand mounted on the casing so as to be movable along the slot to oppositesides of a central, open circuit posi- {tion and having inwardlyextending integral terminal arm means movable with said peripheralportion so as selectively to engage and ground said conductors, andmeans for yieldably latching the switch element out of engagement withboth conductors comprising projecting means formed on said peripheralportion and yieldably positioned in said slot when the switch element isin its central position and the arm means is out of engagement with bothconductors and adapted to be forced out of the slot and snap into one ofsaid recesses when the switch element is moved from its central positionto close the circuit to either of said lamps.

'7. In an electric lantern, a metallic casing adapted to contain abattery and be electrically engaged with one terminal thereof and havinga Y slot perforating its outer wall and having an outwardly projectingrecess formed in and open to the inner side of said outer wall beyond anend of Y the slot, a pair of lamps mounted on the casing, a contact inthe casing insulated therefrom and adapted to be engaged by the otherterminal of the battery, means electrically connecting the centercontact of each lamp with 'said contact, separate conductorselectrically connected to the rim contacts of the lamps andV havingcontact portions spaced apart, a switch handle penetrating the slot inthe casing and' movable along the slot, a one-piece movable switchelement inside the casing having a portion disposed adjacent to andclosing the slot throughout its range of movement and mounting thehandle so as to be movable along the slot with the handle and havingintegral terminal contact means provided with spaced contact surfacesmovable alternatively into electrical engagement with one or the otherof said contact portions and into an intermediate open-circuit positionspaced from both contact portions, and

means for yieldably latching the switch element in any of its said threepositions comprising an outwardly extending protuberance on the firstnamed portion of the switch element adapted to bear irictionally againstthe inner side of the casing and be received in said recess.

CiARL H. LARSON.

